Gilbert Lake State Park, NY

I've been going to Gilbert Lake State Park since I was a kid and that was over 30 years ago. We've been either camping there or going there to picnic and swim as long as I can remember. Its one of the great NYS parks that was built by the CCC. Gilbert lake has a great beach area, with lots of picnic table and sand for the kids. It has a nice playground as well, that is most appropriate for smaller children. There are several pavillions by the beach that can be reserved and rented for the day. The day use area gets pretty full on most weekends, so if you want a picnic table in a good spot, get there early! During the week, several area summer recreation programs bring the kids there to swim in the afternoons. As for the camping areas, most of the sites are large and well shaded. The bathrooms are clean and most are pretty new. There is a small section with electricity available, but those sites are much closer together with less shade. (But not as bad as some private campgrounds we've been to.) All the campsites are quite a distance from the beach area, you would usually need to drive between the campsites and the beach. There are lots of trails and a small nature center to explore. All in all, this is a great NYS park, and I would recommend it. Our family has stayed here numerous times. As with any campground, some sites are better than others, but most here are pretty good.